Protective relay capable of protection applications without protection settings

ABSTRACT

The current differential relay operates without adjustable settings, and includes a phase current differential element with a predetermined threshold, responsive to local phase current values and remote phase current values, to detect three-phase faults and producing a first output signal if the threshold value is exceeded. Either a negative sequence current differential element or two phase current differential elements, also having predetermined threshold values and responsive to the local and remote phase currents, detect phase-to-phase faults and phase-to-phase-to-ground faults and produces a second output signal if the predetermined threshold is exceeded. A negative sequence or zero sequence current differential current element, with a predetermined threshold value is responsive to the local and remote phase currents to detect phase-to-ground faults and to produce a third output signal if the threshold is exceeded. If any one of the first, second and third output signals occurs, a trip signal is generated and directed to the associated circuit breaker. The thresholds are selected to permit use of the relay in a wide range of possible applications.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U. S. Patent application Ser. No.10/409,355, filed Apr. 7, 2003 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,123,459.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to protective relays for electric powersystems, and more particularly concerns a current differential relaywithout conventional adjustable settings which is useful in theprotection of a power system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Historically, digital protective relays have had an adjustable“settings” capability, which enables a protection engineer to customizethe operation of a protective relay to a particular protection task in apower system. This is often a challenging exercise. For example, with aconventional overcurrent relay, the protection engineer must firstdetermine the expected fault current and the maximum load current of thepower system at the point in the system where the relay is connected.The protection engineer then establishes the operating settings of theovercurrent relay to provide a trip signal when the currents it measuresfrom the power line reach a predetermined level above the maximum loadcurrent but below the anticipated fault current.

The determination of the anticipated fault current involves a rathercomplex calculation, which takes into account the source strength andvoltage, the impedance of downstream transformers and the impedance ofthe line from the relay out to the end of the protection zone covered bythe relay. In addition, the protection engineer must also oftencoordinate the relay which is being set with other protective relays,located both closer to the source and closer to the load than the relaybeing set. Further, if the line protected by the relay being set canprovide power and serve load in both directions from the protectiverelay, the setting task becomes even more complicated.

The setting task also becomes more complicated when the protectionengineer must coordinate the protection provided by the relay being setwith other protective relays set by another entity, an example beingwhen utilities connect their respective power tie lines together or whenutilities connect to heavy industrial loads having privately ownedgenerators. Such connections are typically referred to as “interties”.The relays at both ends of the intertie line portion must work togetheras a unit to properly protect the intertie; hence, their respectivesettings must be coordinated for proper operation and to prevent amalfunction, which can occur in the event of a miscalculation ormisapplication of a relay at either end of the intertie.

Accordingly, it is desirable for a protective relay to be able toprotect a variety of electric power arrangements and configurationswithout the need to calculate and apply protective relay settings.Further, it would be desirable to simplify the protection of an intertieline portion to prevent misoperation of the protection.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is a currentdifferential protective relay without adjustable operational settingsfor protecting a selected line portion of a power system, comprising: atleast one phase current differential element, having a firstpredetermined, fixed threshold value, responsive to phase currents fromthe power system at a local location of the protective relay and tophase currents from a remote relay on the selected line portion todetect three-phase faults on the line portion and for providing a firstoutput signal when said predetermined threshold is exceeded bythree-phase current; a negative sequence differential element or twophase current differential elements, having a second predetermined,fixed threshold value, responsive to said local phase currents and saidremote phase currents or current values determined therefrom to detectphase-to-phase faults and phase-to-phase-to-ground faults and forproviding a second output signal when said second predeterminedthreshold is exceeded, wherein said two phase current differentialelements either include said one phase current differential element fordetecting three-phase faults or comprise two additional phase currentdifferential elements; and a negative sequence differential element or azero sequence differential element, having a third predetermined, fixedthreshold value, also responsive to said local phase currents and saidremote phase currents or currents determined therefrom to detectindividual phase-to-ground faults and for providing a third outputsignal when said third predetermined threshold is exceeded, wherein if anegative sequence element is used, it is either the negative sequenceelement used for detecting phase-to-phase and phase-to-phase-to-groundfaults or a second negative sequence element.

A second aspect of the present invention is a protective relay forcurrent differential protection for a selected power line, comprising: alocal current differential relay for protection of a selected power lineportion of a power system, the local current differential relay havingthe capability of sampling three-phase currents from its local locationon the power line at selected intervals of time and transmitting them toa remote relay also connected to the selected power line portion forcurrent differential protection, wherein the remote relay is notoperationally coordinated with said local current differential relay forprotection functions; and a sensing function in the local currentdifferential relay for determining when said relay is connected to aremote relay which has adjustable settings for fault determination,wherein the local differential relay, upon such determination, disablesany protection functions therein while continuing to provide phasecurrent values to the remote relay and to receive trip commands from theremote relay.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a simple arrangement of a current differentialrelay system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the system of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a simplified diagram showing a conventional intertiearrangement.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The present invention is a current differential relay without thecapability of, or the need for, conventional adjustable settings. Incurrent differential protection, referring to FIG. 1, a “local” relay 12at one end of a protected portion 13 of a power line obtains phasecurrents (A, B and C phases) from the power line at that location andfurther receives such currents obtained by a relay at a remote end ofthe line, referred to as a remote relay 14. The sum of these remote andlocal currents is then compared with a “pickup” setting established forthe particular application. Bi-directional communication occurs over alink 16, with sampled currents flowing in both directions. Circuitbreakers 17 and 19 are responsive to the relays 12 and 14 to protect theline. Conventional current differential protection can also beaccomplished by phase comparison of the current signals between therelative phases of the remote and local currents, and further, chargecomparison, in which the area under the sine wave of the currentwaveforms at the local and remote ends of the protected line arecompared to reach a trip decision.

The present invention is a current differential relay having thecapability of detecting all fault types without adjustable settings.Several individual conventional current differential elements arecombined to detect the various fault types.

First, a conventional phase current differential element is used todetect faults involving all three phases of a power system, generallyreferred to as three-phase faults. Phase current differential elementsoperate on the phase currents (A, B, C) of the power signal. Three-phasefaults flow through relatively small impedances, such that the faultcurrents will be relatively large. For example, a power system, which iscapable of delivering 5 amps of load current, will typically deliver 20amps or more of fault current due to a three-phase fault. Typically, asingle conventional phase current differential element is used for this,or alternatively, three different elements are used, one for each phasecurrent.

A predetermined threshold is selected for the phase current differentialelement so that it will reliably detect three-phase faults for a largerange of power system application possibilities. Such a threshold mightbe I amp when the power system is capable of delivering 5 amps of loadcurrent at the input of the protective relay.

Second, the zero setting relay of the present invention also protectsphase-to-phase faults (A-B, B-C and C-A), as well asphase-to-phase-to-ground faults. This is accomplished by using either aconventional negative sequence differential element, or two conventionalphase current differential elements. Negative sequence current isdetermined conventionally via a well-known calculation/determinationfrom the three measured phase currents. The alternative two phasecurrent differential elements can either include the phase currentdifferential element used to detect three-phase faults and oneadditional phase current differential element, or they can be twoadditional phase current differential elements.

Two-phase faults also, like three-phase faults, create relatively largefault currents. It is thus possible to select a predetermined thresholdfor the negative sequence current differential element or the phasecurrent differential elements so that they will reliably detectphase-to-phase or phase-to-phase-to-ground faults for a large range ofpossible power system relay applications. For instance, a threshold of 1amp could be selected, when the power system is capable of delivering 5amps of load current to the protective relay.

Third, the relay of the present invention uses a negative sequencecurrent differential element or a zero sequence current differentialelement to detect phase faults involving ground, i.e. singlephase-to-ground faults (A-ground, B-ground and C-ground). Since singlephase-to-ground faults often exhibit relatively high impedance, i.e.high resistance to current flow, the fault currents generated are oftensmall compared to the load current that can be delivered by the powersystem. Such faults are typically called high impedance or highresistance faults. The negative sequence and zero sequence differentialcurrents determined by the current differential relay when there is nopower system fault are primarily due to line charging current imbalance.Because the line charging current is very small compared to the loadcurrents which can be delivered by the power system, the negativesequence or zero sequence differential current elements can have a verylow operational threshold relative to the load current.

Zero sequence current differential elements are also well known,operating on zero sequence current, which again is a conventionaldetermination obtained from measured phase currents.

In one embodiment, a single negative sequence element can be used todetect phase-to-ground faults and also phase-to-phase and phase-to-phas

Because negative sequence and zero sequence current differentialelements can be established with very low thresholds relative to theload current, it is possible to select a threshold for those elementssuch that they will reliably detect single phase-to-ground faults for alarge range of possible power system applications. Such a threshold inone embodiment might be, for instance, 0.5 amps, if the power system iscapable of delivering 5 amps of load current at the input to theprotective relay.

Hence, in one embodiment of the zero setting relay of the presentinvention one conventional phase current differential element fordetecting three-phase faults is combined with a negative sequencedifferential current element for detecting phase-to-phase,phase-to-phase-to-ground and phase-to-ground faults for all threedifferential element and the negative sequence current differentialelement have prefixed thresholds.

The thresholds for the current differential elements are set at thefactory, and are hence not adjustable by the protection engineer for aparticular application. The thresholds are designed to protect a widerange of possible power system applications, within which the relay willoperate properly to detect faults. Hence, there is no opportunity for anerroneous setting to cause a misoperation of the relay.

As alternative embodiments, two phase current differential elementscould be used for protection against three-phase faults andphase-to-phase and phase-to-phase-to-ground faults, or one phase currentdifferential element could be used for three-phase faults and two otherphase current differential elements (for a total of three) forphase-to-phase and phase-to-phase to ground faults. In such embodiments,a negative sequence or zero sequence current differential element coldbe used to detect phase-to-ground faults. In still another alternative,a phase current differential element could be used for three-phasefaults, a negative sequence element could be used for phase-to-phasefaults, and another negative sequence element or zero sequence elementcould be used for phase-to-ground faults.

One particular combination is shown in FIG. 2. The three phase currents(A, B and C) are obtained from a power line 20 at the local relaythrough a power transformer 21 and then filtered at block 22. Thefiltered currents are then sampled, in a conventional manner, at block24 and transmitted at block 26 to a remote relay. The local relayreceives similar phase current values from the remote relay at 28.

The local phase currents and the remote phase currents are then eachapplied to three calculation circuits, as shown. The first calculationcircuit 30 results in a phase current determination (where the local andremote phase current values are added) with the results applied to athree-phase fault detection circuit 32 with fixed thresholds, asdiscussed above, such as by a phase current differential element orelements. If the fixed threshold is exceeded, an output signal fromcircuit 32 is applied to an OR gate 34.

A second calculation circuit 36 in FIG. 2 is a negative sequence currentcalculation circuit (although it could be a phase current determinationcircuit as well, as discussed above). The output of circuit 36 isapplied to a phase-to-phase and phase-to-phase-to-ground fault detectioncircuit 40, using a negative sequence current element. If the fixedthreshold of the negative sequence element is exceeded, an output signalfrom circuit 40 is applied to OR gate 34.

Third, the local and remote phase current values are applied to a zerosequence calculation circuit 44 (in the zero sequence currentembodiment), the output of which is applied to a single phase-to-groundfault detection circuit 46, using a zero sequence current differentialelement with a fixed threshold. If the threshold is exceeded by any ofthe phase-to-ground currents, an output signal from circuit 46 isapplied to OR gate 34.

If there are one or more output signals applied to OR gate 34, an outputfrom OR gate 34 occurs, which is then applied as a trip signal to theassociated circuit breaker.

Hence, the present invention is a current differential relay having awide fault protection capability for a wide range of protectionapplications, without the need for settings by a protection engineer fora particular application. Potential misoperations due to incorrectsettings are thus avoided.

As also discussed above, another challenge for the protection engineeris the intertie situation in which the protection engineer has access toonly one end of the intertie line portion. This is illustrated in FIG.3, in which an intertie line portion 50 is protected by a zero settingcurrent differential relay 52 on one end of the protected line and atraditional adjustable setting current differential relay 54 on theother end of the line. Circuit breakers 56 and 58 are located at therespective ends of the intertie line. The relays 52 and 54 are connectedby a bidirectional communication link 64.

As stated above, the challenge for the protection engineer is that whensetting changes are made at one relay end of the intertie, operation ofthe protection scheme may be changed to some extent, resulting in apossible risk of misoperation. Using a zero setting relay 52 at one endof the intertie can help to resolve this particular issue, if that relayin addition is designed to sense, i.e. determine, when it is in factconnected to a conventional current differential relay with adjustablesettings, such as shown for the intertie of FIG. 3. In the presentinvention, when relay 52, with no (zero) adjustable settings, does sensesuch a connection, it will disable itself from performing currentdifferential protection and will only function to sample the localcurrents and transmit them to the traditional current differential relaywith adjustable settings and to receive a trip command from the otherrelay.

Relay 52 can make such a determination if the traditional relay, i.e.relay 54, is designed to transmit a particular, recognizable signal tothe local relay 52. The recognizable signal can take various forms,including for example a particular bit in a data packet or a particularpattern in a data packet. Even a particular format for the data packetcan be used, as well as other arrangements. Once the zero setting relay52 determines it is connected to such a conventional relay, it isdesigned to go into its non-protection mode. In operation, it will thenonly determine and transmit local currents to the remote relay, inconventional fashion, such as carried out by elements 21, 22, 24 and 26of FIG. 2. The conventional adjustable settings relay 54 will use thecurrents received from the non-protection-functioning zero setting relay52 along with its own locally measured currents to perform traditionalcurrent differential protection, with its own customized settings. Ifrelay 54 determines that a fault exists, it will first trip its localcircuit breaker 58 and will also send a trip command signal to the zerosetting relay 52. When relay 52 receives the signal, it will trip itsown associated circuit breaker 56.

Even though the zero setting relay 52 does not provide any protectionfunctions, it will trip at the same time or shortly after the time whenthe traditional current differential relay 54 trips its circuit breakerdue to relay 54 transmitting a trip command. The zero setting relay 52thus in effect operates in accordance with the settings of the remoterelay 54. Accordingly, there will be no misapplication or misoperationof the overall current differential relay system due to misapplied ormiscalculated settings in relay 52.

Alternatively, it should be understood that relay 52, while shown as azero setting relay as discussed above, could also be a conventionalcurrent differential relay with adjustable settings, if it is programmedand designed so that when it senses a connection with anotherconventional adjustable setting relay on an intertie application, itdisables its own protection functions and operates only to obtaincurrent samples and transmit them to the remote relay, as well asreceiving any trip command from the remote relay and thereafter trippingits associated circuit breaker.

Still further, the relay 52 could be a completelynon-protection-function capable device, in effect a teleprotectionterminal capable only of obtaining local current values, transmittingthem to the remote intertie relay and receiving back trip commands fromthe remote relay. Such a terminal is still, however, referred to as arelay for the purposes of this application.

Finally, although the application is disclosed in the context of anintertie connection, it could be used in any situation where there is nocontrol over the settings of the remote relay.

Accordingly, a system has been disclosed and claimed which in one caseis capable of detecting a wide variety of faults in a wide range ofapplications in a power system, without the need for adjustablesettings, i.e. a zero setting relay.

In addition, the potential for mismatch in settings for an intertie orsimilar line portion is overcome by an arrangement involving either azero setting relay, a conventional relay, or a “relay” in the form of ateleprotection terminal which, when a connection to a conventional,adjustable setting relay is determined, disables its own protectionfunctions, if it has any, provides only sampled current values to theremote relay, and receives only trip commands from the remote relay.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described forpurposes of illustration, it should be understood that various changes,modification and substitutions might be incorporated in the embodimentwithout departing from the spirit of the invention, which is defined inthe claims, which follow.

1. A current differential protective relay without user adjustableoperational settings for use in protecting a selected line portion of apower system, comprising: at least one phase current differentialelement, having a first non-user predetermined, fixed threshold value,responsive to phase currents from the power system at a local locationof the protective relay and to phase currents from a remote relay on theselected line portion, to detect three-phase faults on the line portionand for providing a first output signal when said predeterminedthreshold is exceeded by three-phase current; a negative sequencecurrent differential element or two phase current differential elements,having a second non-user predetermined, fixed threshold value,responsive to said local phase currents and said remote phase currentsto detect phase-to-phase faults and phase-to-phase-to ground faults andfor providing a second output signal when said second predeterminedthreshold is exceeded wherein said two phase current differentialelements include said one phase current differential element fordetecting three-phase faults, or two additional phase currentdifferential elements; and a negative sequence current differentialelement or a zero sequence differential element, having a third non-userpredetermined, fixed threshold value, responsive to said local phasecurrents and said remote phase currents to detect individualphase-to-ground faults and providing a third output signal when saidthird predetermined threshold is exceeded, wherein if a negativesequence current differential element is used, it is either the negativesequence current differential element used for detecting phase-to-phaseand phase-to-phase-to-ground faults or a second negative sequencecurrent differential element, wherein none of the current differentialelements include adjustable operational settings.
 2. The protectiverelay of claim 1, including a gate function responsive to any one ofsaid first, second and third output signals to produce a trip signal fora circuit breaker on the selected line portion.
 3. The protective relayof claim 1, including a first phase differential current element fordetecting three-phase faults and second and third phase currentdifferential elements for detecting phase-to-phase andphase-to-phase-to-ground faults.
 4. The protective relay of claim 1,including a first negative sequence current differential element usedfor detecting phase-to-phase and phase-to-phase-to-ground faults and asecond negative sequence current differential element for detectingphase-to-ground faults.
 5. The protective relay of claim 1, including anegative sequence current differential element for detectingphase-to-phase and phase-to-phase-to-ground faults and a zero sequencecurrent differential element for detecting phase-to-ground faults.
 6. Acurrent differential protective relay without user adjustableoperational settings for use in protecting a selected line portion of apower system: comprising: a first current differential protectionfunction, having a first non-user predetermined, fixed threshold, but noadjustable operational setting capability, responsive to phase currentsfrom the power system at a local location of the protective relay on theselected line portion and to phase currents from a remote relay on theselected line portion to detect three-phase faults on the line portionand for providing a first output signal when said first predeterminedthreshold is exceeded by three phase current; a second currentdifferential protection function, having a second non-user predetermine,fixed threshold value, but no adjustable operational settingscapability, responsive to signals related to said local phase currentsand said remove phase currents to detect phase-to-phase andphase-to-phase-to-ground faults and for providing a second output signalwhen said second predetermined threshold is exceeded; and a thirdcurrent differential protection function, having a third non-userpredetermined, fixed threshold value, but no adjustable operationalsetting capability, responsive to signals related to said local phasecurrents and said remote phase currents to detect phase-to-ground faultsand for providing a third output signal when said third predeterminedthreshold is exceeded.
 7. The protective relay of claim 6, wherein saidfirst differential protection function includes at least one phasedifferential current element, wherein said second current differentialfunction includes a negative sequence current differential elementresponsive to negative sequence current differential element responsiveto negative sequence current values or at least one additional phasecurrent differential element, and wherein said third currentdifferential function includes a negative sequence element or a zerosequence element responsive to negative sequence current values and zerosequence current values, respectively.